Gang of Thieves
by phantomworks
Summary: Ryou had to move to a less safe part of town after his father's pay check was cut and the family fell into debt. Not in the same environment that he grew up in, Ryou must survive in an area filled with druggees, alcholics and gangs... or die trying.


Phantomworks; okay, this is the first Tendershipping story I've ever done, so please be kind!

**Alice; or just rip her story apart and tell her to get lost. **

Phantomworks; alice!

**Alice; either's fine with me.**

Phantomworks: ALICE!

**Alice: hey, get on with it already.**

Phantomworks: (whimpers) I don't own Yugioh or its characters, only this fanfic.

Chapter 1

"I know it's not what you're used to but… give it some time. You never know, maybe you'll grow to like it."

_Yeah, and maybe I'll die before I graduate high school._ A pale skinned boy thought as he looked over his new apartment. He ran a hand through his snow white hair as he remembered his father's words. _Oh wait, that seems like a much higher possibility now._

This boy was none other than Ryou Bakura, best friend to Yugi Mutou who was the world re-known King of Games. Of course, Ryou didn't have as grand a title as that and the way things were looking, it didn't seem like he'd get one at all.

Last week, his father had made a rash decision to downgrade from his expensive apartment to a… less costly one on the other side of town. The _bad_ side of town. His justification was that he wasn't home enough to need such a costly place draining his money all the time. He would just need it for a few days in between trips before he was packed up again and off.

_At least think about me!_ Ryou had wanted to say, but had held his tongue. The man was his father and he couldn't say anything against him, no matter how much he wished he could. So instead, he'd packed up his clothes and all his mementos and moved from the comfy three bedroom apartment plus kitchen/living room and two bathroom apartments to something that was… not.

The area his new home was in was full of drugs and prostitutes hung on every corner. Gangs had clearly marked areas and Ryou had to watch what he wore everyday so he wasn't attacked because he wore the wrong color. Theft and crimes were high and he was _positive_ that he had seen Joey Wheeler walking the streets one night, but didn't call him out.

He didn't want to call attention to himself in such a dangerous area.

The apartment was no better. Sure it had sound walls and the roof wasn't caving in like many others and at least he still _had_ his door where many were kicked in or hanging off their hinges, but it wasn't the definition of 'good'. The roof leaked occasionally and the walls were rather thin, making the two bedroom apartment chilly on cool days.

The living room and kitchen were one and the same, the kitchen a mere kitchenette with barely enough room to cook his lavish homemade meals. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was only one bathroom and the shower water barely got higher than luke-warm.

All in all, his life was bloody terrible at the moment.

_What difference is a few more dollars if it means I live to the age of twenty?!_ Ryou wanted to scream as he walked to school. It took a whole twenty minutes to get from his new appointment to school, meaning he had to get up earlier to get ready for school. He had to get up at the crack of _dawn_ just to make it in time for first period.

Oh yeah, he wasn't much of a morning person either.

"Stupid father and his stupid stinginess and his stupid trips and stupid logic!" Ryou muttered under his breath as he finally (_finally!_) arrived at the school gates just as the first bell rang. He had all of five minutes to get to his locker and changes books for first period before he would be late.

Picking up the pace, he dashed into school to his locker, bent on forgetting about his turn of bad luck if only for a little while. He managed to make it to class just before the late bell and slid into his seat. Ignoring the worried looks from his friends, he opened his book to the designated page and immersed himself in the ancient world of Historical Egypt.

Who knew the punishment of thieves and criminals could be so interesting?

o0O0o

"We finally caught up to you, Thief!" a gruff voice snarled as his buddy flicked out a switch blade.

"You ain't goin' nowhere!" the other snickered, his greasy black hair falling down into his sharp eyes. The two were in an alley, a dead end to be exact. Just minutes ago they had chased their prey into a corner and after so many months of coming up empty-handed, they were getting their laughs in now.

"Yeah yeah yeah." The other said. He rolled his dark eyes in boredom as he leaned back against the dead end, looking for all intents and purposes like a wide-open target. His pure white bangs fell into his face, but he didn't bother to brush them aside.

He wouldn't need to see properly to deal with these guys.

"So might I ask who sent you two? It's so hard to keep track of all the enemies I've made." The man said, his rough voice a low baritone.

"Psh, enemies!"

"The Pharaoh ain't one you'll ever forget!"

"The Pharaoh? Pharaoh, pharaoh, pharaoh… oh! I remember!" the albino grinned feral-y, baring his sharp canine teeth and making him more dangerous. "So the little pipsqueak finally grew some balls, eh? Figures he'd go after me first."

"Hey! Don't talk about the boss like that!"

"Yeah! He's better than you'll ever be!"

"Oh I beg to differ. As much as he is great, I am better. For you see…" his hands snapped out, a knife flying into each with a whirl of his wrist, "I taught him everything he knows. But I know so much more."

The two men gave him a shaky look, now not as sure as they were before.

"I'll give you a personal show as long as you do one thing for me." he said as he licked the flat of one blade. "Die a slow and painful death."

The two teens flinched, bringing their fists up to defend themselves. The albino dashed forward, feinting to the side as he closed in for the kill. One lunged at him, but he disappeared, slipping into the growing shadows.

"Oh! One more thing."

Suddenly, he appeared behind the other, face dark, but eyes glowing with pure unadulterated bloodlust, "Tell him. He's next."

Then he struck.

Phantomworks; okay, please tell me if this is interesting at all or if I've just redone an idea going around already.

**Alice; we haven't read any Tender fics in a while.**

Phantomworks: yeah. Oh! And if any of you like it, please review and then VOTE FOR IT ON MY POLL TO GET IT UPDATED faster.

**Alice: oh yeah, that.**

Phantomworks: yeah. _That_. Anyway, please review!


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